A sixth draw in the last eight clashes reflects now that the Soweto Derby has become more about not losing than anything else as Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates played out a goalless draw in South Africa's Premier Soccer League on Saturday.
Just over 70,000 at Soccer City were subjected to a game that only came alive after the hour-mark when Kaizer Chiefs came out of their shell and changed tactics after again employing an approach of sitting back and allowing their opponent to have possession.
Pirates can claim to have had the upper hand in the first half as they racked up the corner count and had more than 60 percent of the ball but never created any clear-cut chances.
But once the game opened up both sides might have snatched it as the crowd got some belated value for money.
The result means Pirates stay third and Chiefs fourth in the standings after eight rounds. But neither have shown any real credentials, so far, as potential title candidates.
"It was a chess game, move for move," admitted Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevich. "Supporters will be going home disappointed that there were no goals but it was the only thing missing," he insisted.
The 20-year-old full-back Siyabonga Ngezana, in just his second game in Chiefs' colours, struck the upright from a free-kick in one of several occasions in the game when Pirates' tall defenders proved inadequate in the air.
Pirates winger Thabo Qalinge, who proved lively at times but spent too much time trying tricks, hammered a powerful shot that brought the best out of Itumeleng Khune in the Chiefs goal.
He came even closer 10 minutes into the second half as he hit an overhead kick, from Mpho Makola's clever chip-pass, rattling the Chiefs crossbar.
Gustavo Paez, the Venezuelan striker returning from an ankle injury, came on at the same time as Chiefs introduced a second striker and then pushed Joseph Molangoane forward from right-back up the wing, and suddenly the complexion of the contest changed.
Chiefs then had chances for Willard Katsande and Daniel Cardoso in the air as they suddenly put Pirates on the back foot - both coming close.
At the end other end Pirates sub Bernard Morrison palmed the ball into the net and got a yellow card as he tried to con the referee.
But it remained a contest that was short on proper chances as the teams settled for a draw and honours even ... yet again.